FO Parade: Spiced Cotton Reels

Why, yes. You are correct. I did already knit another pair of fingerless mitts this year. But in my defense, I live in Minnesota.

Plus, I used fingering-weight scraps to create these. So I'm feeling all “virtuous” in a waste-not, want-not way. (What's that, you say? My fingers are in my ears, so no, I can't hear you laughing.)

Pattern: Cotton Reel Mittens by Ysolda Teague

Yarn: TFA Blue Label (Plum and Spice)

What do you do with your yarn scraps? I've got lots more itching to become something...

FO Parade: If a Nutkin Falls...

Nothing like washing away the taste of an FO Fail with a great pairing of yarn and pattern, is there?

I got this lovely skein at Yarnover last April. My first choice didn't work so well, but I knew to cut my losses early and frog before the heel flap. Love, love, LOVE how these turned out. The pattern is that perfect combination of interesting knitting but easy to memorize. Also, they're clearly too big for Izzy, who's modeling in the photos. Phew, that should keep them safe from sticky fingers.

Pattern: Nutkin by Beth LaPensee

Yarn: Vice Paradigm (If a Tree Falls)

My current favorite socks. Sure another pair of these is in my future...

FO Parade: Dishcloths & Dishtowels

In case it wasn't clear in my earlier Finishing Frenzy post, September was one INTENSE month at work. What’s a gal to do when comfort knitting is in order? Dishcloths, of course!

And nice ones at that, since I had lots of well-marinated cotton left over from baby projects for Izzy and a Log Cabin Blanket knit years ago for my sister and brother-in-law.

The only problem? Shrinkage even in tepid water. (Insert obligatory nod to George Costanza.) Never mind that, let's just revel in the before photos...

Patterns: Ballband Dishcloth by Pisgah Yarn
& Slip Stitch Dishtowels by Purl Soho

Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Cotton

As for the end result... Well, they served their stress-busting needs so there's that. Plus, there's no shortage of spills to wipe up at our house — big and tiny.

Onward.

FO Parade: Fall Fields

Last weekend, the Finishing Frenzy continued with blocking and photographs. Most even made it into Ravelry before I ran out of time. Oh, for more three-day weekends...

I'm going to queue up some blog posts now that the FOs are truly and completely finished — and before this weekend fades away, too.

A local yarn store closed its doors in August. Always a bitter-sweet event. Along with a half-priced sweater's worth of Malabrigo and all the Noro I need for the POP blanket I intend to knit after I get this current wave of sock knitting out of my system, I picked up a lone skein. With all my favorite colors intertwined, I just couldn't pass it by despite the high acrylic and rayon content. In fact, I was compelled to cast on that very day. And talk about a Pride & Prejudice moment: I love the result.

Pattern: Fields of Wheat by Varant Ekmekjian

Yarn: Berroco Boboli (Ginger Scone)

While fall seems to be a no-show this year in Minnesota, today's snowflakes up North are a clear sign this is about to get lots of use.

Finishing Frenzy

I've been busy knitting up a storm for the past two months, but not good about finishing and even worse about blogging. Gigantic work deadline got in the way. But now that the beta version of the site has finally launched, it's time to get back to business.

Saturday, I went a little crazy. I started by weaving in the ends of five dishcloths and one dishtowel that I knit in a stash- and stress-busting frenzy that started mid-September. That led to weaving in more ends (a shawl and two cowls). Then adding the thumbs on a pair of fingerless mitts that had been languishing for more than a month. I finished the finishing by ripping back and re-knitting the toes on too-big socks. Here's the pile I ended up with; now for the blocking...



And since I'm in catch-up mode, here are a pair of socks I finished in August and gifted to my mother.

Pattern: A Good, Plain Sock by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

Yarn: Crazy Zauberball (Spring Is Here)

And here is a baby hat that got the quickest of photoshoots before going into the gift bag.

Pattern: Dinofied Wee Balaclava by by mama cerise

Yarn: Cascade 200 (Lichen) & Ella Rae Classic (Yellow-Lime Heather) 

Time for a break...aka, more knitting! ;-)

FO: Katniss Socks

I wanted to try socks with cables and this seemed the perfect gateway pattern — two simple braids running down the front and back centers. Just the toe of the second sock was left to knit when I packed them for the cabin. I finished them up that first night then blocked them the next day in the sun.

Yarn: TFA Blue Label (Spice)

Pattern: Katniss Socks by Rose Hiver

Izzy (who's a big Hunger Games fan) came up with the firepit backdrop, which I like even better than the kicked back lake shot we started with.

These were a really fun knit and I'm sure I'll revisit the pattern sometime soon. Who'd have ever thought at the beginning of 2013 that I'd have four finished sock pairs done by mid-summer?

FO: Maroo Mitts

Not only did our week at the cabin afford me time to knit to my heart's content, it also gave me a great backdrop to take pics of some FOs. These fingerless mitts were finished and blocked a few weeks before our trip but fell victim to rainy weekends when it came to photography.

Pattern: Maroo Mitts by Ambah O'Brien

Yarn: TFA Blue Label (Olive, Squash, & Olive Truffle)

These were a fun, easy knit, and I'd like to give a special shout-out to the designer, who offered up the pattern for free on her birthday. May her generosity return to her throughout the year!

The other blessing about the pattern was that it offered the chance to use some of my scraps. I especially love the Squash OOAK with its pinkish hits in the gold. And since I gifted the shawl I knit with it, this way I get to still enjoy the color and touch of cashmere.